She sends "much love and all strengths" to the hard-hearted mom she plays in 'The Fighter.'

A screaming Melissa Leo was beside herself after receiving word Tuesday morning of her best supporting actress nomination for Paramount’s The Fighter.

“For several weeks, just about everybody I ran into told me I would get this happy news,” she tells THR. “But I don’t have a crystal ball, so I was biding my time.”

In Sundance promoting the new Kevin Smith film Red State, Leo set an early wake-up call to catch the live announcement.

What does the nom mean to Leo? “Longevity of this old gal’s career! Right on!” she tells THR.

Leo already has a dream date in mind for the Feb. 27 show: Alice Ward, whom she plays in The Fighter.

Ward, 80, the mom in the boxer biopic, went into cardiac arrest earlier this month and stopped breathing for more than 30 minutes.

"She's in fragile condition in a Boston hospital," Leo tells USA Today. "So a shout-out to Alice, much love and all strengths," she said fervently. "It would be super for her to go with me but I don't know if the doctors will think that's a good idea."

As for facing off against Amy Adams in the same category, she says: "I could not have shot The Fighter (two years ago) without Amy in that freaking hotel. We had a ball and a blast, I can't wait to see what she's wearing, and yes, Amy, I AM going to to wear high heels!" Adams likes to dress her up, she confided. Delighted.